Ship&#39;s log.



No. 742,215. PATENTED OCT. 27, 1903. E. NICHOLSON.

SHIPS LOG.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2, 1900.

no MODEL. 6 SHBBTSS.HEET 1 W/TNESSES: i] INVENTOH;

A7T0HNEY NORRIS PCTERS co. woroumo.,w-su1-cro-. u. c.

E. NICHOLSON.

SHIPS LOG.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2, 1900.

N0 MODEL. 6 SHEET$SHEBT 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOH A HORNE) m: mums vz'rzas co. PnoToumo, VIASNANGTUN, nc.

PATENTED OCT. 2'7, 1903.

E. NICHOLSON.

SHIPS LOG.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2, 1900.

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N0 MODEL.

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WITNESSES N0 MODEL.

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SHIPS LOG.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2, 1900.

PATENTED OCT. 2'7, 1903.

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ATTORNEY No. 742,215.- PATENTED OCT. 27, 1903. E. NICHOLSON.

SHIPS LOG.

APPLICATION FILED- APR. 2, 1900.

N0 MODEL.

6 SHEETSSHEET 6.

WITNESSES w IN VEN r05 Ezra Jibolawz fii? M\ '3 {9 J. m 'LWCLM/J 1 ATTOHNE Y THE uomus PUERS co. Puma-mm, wumaumu. u. c

UNITED STATES Patented October 2'7, 1903.

EZRA NICHOLSON, OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO.

SHIPS LOG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 742,215, dated October27, 1903.

Application filed April 2 1900.

To all whom it 'IN/YY/Z/ concern.-

Be it known that I, EZRA NICHOLSON, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Lakewood, Cnyahoga county, Ohio, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Ships Logs, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detailone mechanical form embodying the invention, such detailed constructionbeing but one of various mechanical forms in which the principleof theinvention may be used.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a vessel providedwith my improved ships log. Fig. 2 is afront elevation of a portion ofthe log, showing the speed indicatingand recording mechanism. Fig. 3 isan enlarged detail View, partly in section, of the water-pipes, showingthe floats therein. Fig. 4 represents a section on the line Z Z of Fig.3, showing a plan view of a float. Fig. 5 represents a front elevationof the feedscrew and disk. Fig. 6 represents an elevation in section ofsaid screw and disk on the line T T of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 represents alongitudinal section of the same on the line U U of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is anenlarged detail View of the compensating gears, showing theactuating-racksand a portion of the distance-indicating mechanism. Fig.9 represents a side elevation of the compensating gears. Figs. 10 and 11are sectional views on the lines W and X X, respectively, of Figs. 8 and9. Fig. 12 is a detail view showing the attachment of thedistance-recording mechanism of the rocking arm. Fig. 13 is afrontelevation of the distance indicating and recording mechanism. Fig. 14 isa side elevation of the same in section in the line Y Y of Fig. 13. Fig.15 is a detail view showing the distancerecorder and means for actuatingsame. Fig. 16 represents a front elevation of another form of engagementbetween the connecting rod and the distance-indicating mechanism.

In my improved log the speed-indicating mechanism is controlled by twocolumns of water admitted into the vessel by means of permanentreceiving-pipes a and Z), that pass through suitable stuffing-boxes cand thence through the bottom d of the vessel. Each pipe is providedwith a stop-cock 6, having an Serial No. 11,154. (No model.)

opening sufficiently large to permit the pas sage of an intake-tube. Oneof said tubes,f, is closed at its lower end and is provided with anopening gin its side toward the bow of the vessel, so that the column ofwater admitted by said tube will be subjected to the pressure due to theprogress of the vessel. The other tube, h, is openat its end, so thatthe column of water admitted thereby will not be afiected except by achange in the draft of the vessel. Said tubes are turned and fittedwater tight at the bottom of the pipes and are provided with perforation2' near their tops. A stemj is secured to each tube, that extendsthrough a stufflng-box 7t in the upper end of each pipe and is providedwith a handle Z, whereby the tube may be raised above the stop-cock.Preferably connected with each of the receiving-pipes at a point belowthe light-load water-line of the vessel is a stand-pipe thatcommunicates with the receiving-pipe through a passage m, that isprovided with a stopcock n. The speed standpipe 0, communicating withthe speed-tube, is necessarily of suflicient height to accommodate thecolumn of water that may be raised by the speed of the vessel, while thelevel stand-pipe p, which communicates with the level tube h, isnecessarily only high enough to provide for changes in the draft of thevessel. WVithin each stand-pipe is a float (1, that is provided at itstop and bottom with antifriction-rollers r to hold same out of contactwith the sides of the pipe.

The speed and distance indicating and recording mechanism is supportedby a frame 5, provided with brackets 7., that may be placed in anyconvenient location, preferably above thestand-pipes. Saidmechanismisprovided with a shaft 16, journaled in the brackets, that isactuated from the floats by means of wires 1;, which are secured at oneend to the lugs w on the floats and at the other end to counter-weightsThe wire attached to the float in the speed-pipe passes over pulleys y,rotatable upon lugs a, secured to the frame, and o-peratively engages awheel 1, keyed upon the shaft. The wire attached to the float in thelevel pipe passes over corresponding pulleys 2 upon lugs 3, secured tothe frame, and engages a wheel 4, formed integral with a sleeve 5, thatis loosely journaled upon the lower part of the shaft. A collar 6 isrigidly secured to the top of the sleeve, and a corresponding collar 7is journaled near the top of the shaft, which is screwthreaded betweensaid collars. A movable disk 8 is mounted on the shaft, that consists ofa ring 9 and a flanged nut 10, provided with a tongue 11, engaging in agroove 12 in the ring. Said nut is tapped to engage the thread on theshaft and can be rotated by means of rods 18, secured in the collars,that pass through perforations 14, formed in the flange, which permitmovement lengthwise of the shaft. The ring is held against rotation, butis movable upon rods 15, secured in the brackets, that pass throughperforations 16, formed therein. A marker 17 is secured to the disk,that consists of an arm 18, provided with a pencil 19, adapted to engagewith and trace a speed-line upon a chart 20, which may be made torevolve beneath the pencil in any well-known manner. Also secured to thedisk is a rack 21, that projects upward through an opening 22 in thebrackets and engages with a pinion 23, keyed to a shaft 24, journaled inthe frame and in a plate 25, secured to the brackets. Said rack is heldin engagement with the pinion by means of a guide-roller 26,suppo rtedbya bracketarm 27. The pinion is rigidly secured to or formed integralwith the spiral 28, that is also keyed upon the shaft and forms a partof the compensating gear. The other spiral, 29, forming saidcompensating gear, is keyed upon a shaft 30, journaled in the plate andframe above said spiral 28. The hub of the upper spiral is provided witha lug or projection 31, having an irregular bearing-surface A starter 33is secured to the lowerspiral, preferably bent at an angle thereto andprovided with a rounded end 3%, that engages with the bearing-face ofsaid projections and rotates the upper spiral until said spirals meshdirectly with each other. A torsional spring 35 holds the spirals inmesh with each other and prevents backlash. A pointer 36 is secured tothe upper shaft and indicates the amount of rotation of said shaft, inunits or miles, upon a dial 37, that is secured to the frame.

Pivoted above the spiral is an arm 38, that is connected by a link 39with a clock 40 and is rocked thereby. A slide-block fl is adjustableupon the arm by means of a link 42, pivoted to a rack 43, that isactuated by a pinion 44, keyed upon shaft 30, and is held in engagementtherewith by means of a flanged plate 45. Said arm is preferably curvedin outline and is recessed, 4.6, so as to permit the slide-block to comedirectly opposite its pivotal point 47. The slide-block is providedwitha pivoted link-head 48, secured to one end of a connecting-rod 49,which operatively engages a segment lever by means of straps 51 orgear-teeth 52. The free arm 53 of said lever is provided with anenlargement or head 5%, that provides a seat for an adjusting-screw 55,engaging with a movable shoe 56 upon said arm. A link 57, secured to theshoe, connects said segmentlever with a horizontal arm 58 of athree-part lever provided with the upwardly and downwardly projectingarms 59. Each of said .arms is connected by a link 60 with levers 61,

loosely mounted upon a shaft 62, journaled in the frame and in a plate63, that is supported by standards 64. Said levers are each providedwith a dog 65, that engages with the flanged rim of a wheel 66, keyedupon the shaft between the levers, and imparts a 1'0- tary movementthereto. A cam 67 is also keyed upon the shaft and engages the end ofthe lever 68, that is pivoted to a plate 69 upon the frame and is heldin contact with the cam by meansof the spring 70. Said lever isconnected by a link 71 with a permanent distance recorder 72, secured tothe frame so that the recorder is actuated at each revolution of thecam. Upon the outer ends of the shaft 62 isa pointer73,which measuresthe rotation of the shaft in fractional parts of miles or knots upon adisk 74:, that is secured to and supported by the frame.

To operate my improved log, Water is admitted into the stand-pipes, andas long as the vessel remains at rest the water rises to the height ofthe water-level of the vessel in both of the pipes. lVhen the vesselbegins to move, however, and thereby produces pressure in the stand-pipecommunicating with the intake-tube, which has an opening in its sidetoward the bow of the vessel, the water rises in said speed-pipe at aratio which is approximately as the square of the speed. The rise of thewater elevates the float contained in the pipe, and thereby actuates thescrew which feeds the disk upward, and it operates the compensating gearby means of the rack attached thereto. Changes in the draft of thevessel by reason of loading or unloading cargo or from other causes donot affect the position of the disk, since when the height of thewaterin the level-pipe changes the column of water in the speed-pipecorrespondingly changes, and both the feed-screw and the flanged nut arerotated independently of each other at the same speed and in the samedirection. Thus the disk is always at the bottom of the feed-screw whenthe vessel is at rest, regardless of the draft of the vessel, and israised on the feed-screw only when the vessel moves so as to cause theheight of the water-column in the speed-pipe to change relatively to thewater-level of the vessel. As the rise of the water in the speedcolumnis relatively small when the vessel moves at a rate of speed less thanthree or four miles per hour, it is desirable to use a starter inconnection with the compensating gear, as a comparatively small movementof the lower spiral thereby rotates the upper spiral the proper distanceand the construction of the spirals is much simplified. The

spirals are so constructed that the upper spi- IIO ral moves the samedistance or through the same arc for each corresponding increase in thespeed of the vessel, regardless of the irregular changes of the watercolumn and disk for corresponding increases in the speed of the vessel.As the upper spiral is rotated the same distance for each correspondingincrease in speed,the slide-block upon the rocking arm is also moved bythe rack the same distance for each corresponding increase in the speed.The construction of the arm permits the connecting-rod to come directlyopposite its pivotal point, so that the arm can be rocked continuouslyby the clock without imparting motion to the distance-indicatingmechanism, except when the water column in the speed-pipe changes inrelation to the water-level of the vessel. As the arm is rockedregularly by the clock, therefore, the motion imparted to the distanceindicating and recording mechanism varies according to the position ofthe connecting-rod upon the arm. The segment-lever causes theconnecting-rod the same throw of said lever, regardless of the angle ofthe connecting-rod. The adjusting-screw provides means for adjusting thelever accurately.

Since the water in the pipes is apt to fluctuate, owing to the rollingof the vessel and other causes, a stop-cock is provided between thereceivingpipes and the stand-pipes, whereby the opening between saidpipes can be regulated so as to prevent the rapid fluctuations thatwould otherwise occur and keep the level of the column of water in thelevel stand-pipes approximately true with the water-level of the vessel.By means of this construction I am enabled to combine a speedindicatorand a distance indicator and recorder in one instrument that may beplaced in a vessel that is most convenient, and which automaticallyindicates and records the speed and the distance traveled. The log alsoautomatically provides for changes in the draft in the vessel, whichwill vary considerably during a long voyage. It is adapted to be used onvessels propelled either by steam or by sails, as it can be easilyconstructed to record the highest speed obtainable by a vessel of anyclass. Although I prefer to use a permanent distance-recorder and also aroute-chart in connection with my improved log, it is obvious that sameare not essential to the operation of the log. Both thedistance-recorder and the feeding mechanism for the chart may be of anywell-known construction, many devices for this purpose being in commonuse.

It is obvious also that various changes may be made in the constructionof the mechanism herein disclosed without involving more than the skillof the mechanic without departing from the spirit of my invention,provided the means covered in any one of the following claims beemployed.

That I claim is- 1. In a ships log, the combination with two pipescommunicating with the water below the water-line of the vessel, a floatin each of said pipes, and a counterweight attached to each float, ofindicating mechanism comprising a frame or support, a screw-threadedshaft operatively connected with one of the floats, a nut upon saidshaft, a ring longitudinally movable in the frame and engaged by saidnut, a sleeve upon the shaft and rotatively connected with said nut, andconnections between said sleeve and the other float substantially asdescribed.

2. A ships log, comprising means for admitting a column of water withina vessel so that the height of said column shall vary with the speed ofthe vessel, means for admitting a second column of water within thevessel so that the height of said column shall vary as the draft of thevessel, a screw-threaded shaft, a float on one of said columnsoperatively connected with said shaft to rotate the same as the heightof the column changes, a disk upon said shaft, and a float on the otherwater column operatively connected with said disk, whereby the disk ismoved lengthwise of the shaft proportionately to the relative variationof the heights of said water columns, substantially as described.

In a ships log, the combination with two pipes communicating with thewater below the water-line of the vessel and each containing a column ofwater, a float upon each of said water columns, a screw-threaded shaftoperatively connected with one of said floats, a nut upon said shaftengaging with a ring longitudinally movable in the frame, a sleeve uponthe shaft rotatively connected with the nut, said sleeve beingoperatively connected with the other float, substantially as described.

a. In a ships log, the combination with two pipes each containing acolumn of water the height of one of said water columns being adapted tovary approximately as the square of the speed of the vessel, and theheight of the other column being adapted to vary directly as thewater-level of the vessel, of a movable disk threaded upon a shaft,means for rotating the shaft when the height of the Water column varies,means for positively actuating the disk in the same direction as theshaft when the height of the level water column varies, and means uponsaid disk for recording the movements thereof, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a ships log, the combination with a water columnvariable in anapproximately fixed ratio to the speed of the vessel and variabledirectly as the water-level of the vessel, of compensating gear adaptedto change said variations of the water column into regular motion, andmeans foractuating said gear only when the water column varies inrelation to the water-level of the vessel, substantially as described.

6. A ships log comprising means for admitting a column of water withinthe vessel so ITO that the height of said column shall vary with thespeed of the vessel, a movable disk, mechanism actuated by said Watercolumn Whereby the disk is operated, mechanism whereby changes in theWater-level of the vessel are compensated for and said disk is operatedonly when the height of said water column changes in relation to theWater-level of the vessel, compensating gears operatively connected withsaid disk and a speed-indicator adapted to be actuated by said gears andthereby to be moved equal distances for like increments of speed.

7. In a ships log, the combination with a movable disk, of a Watercolumn variable in an approximately fixed ratio to the speed of thevessel, and means for actuating said disk when said Water column variesin relation to the water-level of the vessel, substantially asdescribed.

8. In a ships log, the combination with a movable disk rotatably andlongitudinally movable on a stationary shaft, means for actuating saiddisk a varying distance for corresponding changes in the speed of thevessel, of compensating spirals operatively connected With said diskadapted to change the varying motion thereof into regular motion,substantially as described.

9. In a ships log, the combination with a movable disk rotatably andlongitudinally movable on a stationary shaft, and means for moving saiddisk a varying distance for corresponding changes in the speed of thevessel, of compensating spirals, one of said spirals being operativelyconnected with said disk and the other spiral being connected with aspeed-indicator, and adapted to move said indicator the same distancefor each corresponding increase in the speed of the vessel,substantially as described.

10.In a ships log, the combination with compensating spirals, one ofsaid spirals being provided with a projection having an irregularcurvedbearing-face, the other spiral being provided with a starterhaving arounded end engaging the bearing-face of said projection, and means forrotating said spiral, substantially as described.

11. In a ships log, the combination With compensating gear, and a rackreciprocated by said gear, of a pivoted arm, a movable connecting-rodoperatively connected With distauce-indicating mechanism, means foradjusting said connecting-rod on the arm,

and means for rocking said arm at regular intervals, substantially asdescribed.

12. In a ships log, the combination With a clock, and a pivoted armrocked by said clock, of a connecting-rod movably secured at one endupon said arm and operatively connected at its other end withdistance-indicating mechanism, and means for adjusting said rod on thearm according to the speed of the vessel, substantially as described.

13. In a ships log, the combination with a clock, and a pivoted armrocked by said clock, of a rod movable on said arm and arranged toengage same opposite its pivotal point, said rod being operativelyconnected at one end With distance-indicating mechanism, and means foradjusting said rod on the arm according to the speed of the vessel,substantially as described.

14. In a ships log, the combination of compensating gear, a clock, apivoted arm rocked by said clock, distance-indicating mechanism, aconnecting-rod movable on said arm operatively engaging said mechanism,and a reciprocating rack secured to said rod to adjust same on the arm,substantially as described.

15. In a ships log, the combination with a clock and a pivoted armrocked by said clock, of a connecting-rod secured at one end to asegment lever and having its other end movably secured to said arm, athree-part lever operatively connected With said segment-lever, meansfor adjusting the throw of said threepart lever, a rotatabledistance-indicator, a clutch, operatively connected With said threepartlever for actuating said distanceindicator, and means for adjusting saidconnecting-rod upon the arm, substantially as described.

16. In a ships log, the combination With a segment-lever and means foractuating same at regular intervals, of a cam'operatively connected Withsaid lever and rotated thereby, a distance-recorder, and means engagingwith said cam for actuating said recorder at each revolution of the cam,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this application, in the presence of twoWitnesses, this 31st day of March, 1000.

EZRA NICHOLSON.

Witnesses:

G. H. Fos'rnn, C. I. HENDERSON.

